logo
New task force looks to boost Northeast Ohio music industry

New task force looks to boost Northeast Ohio music industry

Axios01-04-2025

Things are looking up for local musicians and venue owners with the creation of Cuyahoga LIVE!, a task force focused on strengthening Northeast Ohio's music scene.
Why it matters: The task force, led by Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne, represents one of the most significant partnerships in Cleveland history between local government and the live entertainment industry.
Catch up quick: Cuyahoga LIVE! comes on the heels of the 2023 Greater Cleveland Music Census, which surveyed nearly 2,800 industry professionals, venue owners and musicians.
The resulting 24-page report found that Cleveland has a "relatively healthy music ecosystem," but improvements are needed.
That includes better marketing and audience development, tax breaks and grants for venues, and more inclusivity.
It also suggested creating a local music commission to manage initiatives.
The intrigue: The first move for Cuyahoga LIVE! is to form committees to examine ways to improve audience and workforce development, culture and belonging, and artist and industry support.
Cuyahoga LIVE! will serve as a precursor to a full-time local music commission in charge of implementing initiatives outlined in the census.
What they're saying:"This needed to happen," Sean Watterson, co-owner of Happy Dog and co-founder of the Cleveland Independent Venue Association, tells Axios.
"The goal is to identify what the priorities are for a music commission so that when we're at a stage where we get funding, we're clear on what we need to do."
💭 Troy's thought bubble: I've covered music on a local level for nearly 20 years. Anyone involved will tell you it's extremely challenging to succeed.
While it was already tough before COVID, venue owners like Watterson tell me it's gotten even tougher post-pandemic — recovering from financial hardships and adjusting to new industry trends.
Watterson says the difference between Cuyahoga LIVE! and other like-minded plans of the past is the involvement of a high-ranking local official like Ronayne, who listed the local music industry as a priority in his 2024 State of the County address.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

LeBron James: 2020 NBA Playoffs were the 'purest form of hoops'
LeBron James: 2020 NBA Playoffs were the 'purest form of hoops'

USA Today

time5 hours ago

  • USA Today

LeBron James: 2020 NBA Playoffs were the 'purest form of hoops'

LeBron James: 2020 NBA Playoffs were the 'purest form of hoops' The Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 NBA championship has been derided by many people as not a legitimate championship because of the fact that it was won inside of the Walt Disney World Resort bubble during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to critics and cynics, since there were no fans and no travel, it cannot count as a legitimate championship. However, that postseason was a big challenge in other ways, mainly because of the stringent safety restrictions that were imposed on everyone who participated. It amounted to up to three months of full and total focus on playoff basketball. LeBron James, who won his fourth ring that year, expanded on the type of focus that was required during that time during a recent episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast. "I agree with what a lot of people say that it's the purest form of hoops," James said. "It was strictly basketball. We all have the ability to do whatever we want in life. We've made a bunch of money, we have all the access. That's gone in the bubble. You can't just say, 'oh, I'm about to go to a restaurant or I'm about to do this.' You can't do none of that. Everything in the bubble was strictly about basketball. And obviously we were there talking about a lot of off-the-court things that were going on, the social injustice and police brutality and all that stuff, rightfully so. But when the basketball portion was the focus, that's all it was. Of all my championships I've won, that level of focus, how long can you maintain your focus in order to get the job done? Because you have all the reasons if you want to get out of focus because you're so accustomed to a certain lifestyle that you're like, 'to hell with this, I don't wanna do this, why am I here? I don't want to be a part of this, I can't get a certain meal, I can't do this, I can't see my family, I can't lock in…' And you can very easily get out of why you're there." The 2019-20 season was initially suspended in March once the pandemic started to hit critical mass. When the bubble was announced, many were skeptical that it would work and that the coronavirus would be prevented from spreading inside of it. But thanks to those stringent restrictions, which included restrictions on family members getting it, it was a huge success. In particular, it was a huge success for the Lakers, who continued to prove they were the best team in basketball that year by bringing home the world championship.

Yes, COVID is still affecting theater in 2025. Here's the latest postponement
Yes, COVID is still affecting theater in 2025. Here's the latest postponement

San Francisco Chronicle​

time7 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Yes, COVID is still affecting theater in 2025. Here's the latest postponement

COVID is still delaying theatrical productions, even in 2025. Marin Theatre was scheduled to open 'Do You Feel Anger?' on Tuesday, June 10. But five hours before the curtain was supposed to rise on Mara Nelson-Greenberg's office satire, the theater announced the night's show was canceled. Publicist Carla Befera told the Chronicle that the show's star tested positive for COVID. The earliest the theater would resume performances is Sunday, June 15, she added; opening night is rescheduled for Tuesday, June 17. The Mill Valley theater isn't alone. In April, Carlos Santana postponed tour dates following a COVID diagnosis. Current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for respiratory viruses state that the sick can resume normal activities once their symptoms are improving and they've been fever-free without medical aid for at least 24 hours. Confusingly, those same guidelines go on to say that even with normal activities, staying away from other people (the distance is unspecified) is 'encouraged.' While some Bay Area theaters including Berkeley Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Theater and San Francisco Playhouse employ understudies for main stage shows, the practice is not universal. It's particularly rare in an era of ongoing retrenchment, with many companies producing fewer or smaller-cast shows and many others closing or suspending production. Marin Theatre's move suggests that even if some of the theater world's pandemic-era norms are fading, one consequence is lasting: the scrutiny of the industry's famous 'show must go on' ethos. Canceling performances was all but unheard of in 2019. Five years after the shelter-in-place order, audiences, theater artists and administrators still don't believe that an actor must force an ailing body to work at all costs.

New Mets reliever Justin Garza used video games to revive his stalled career
New Mets reliever Justin Garza used video games to revive his stalled career

New York Post

time7 hours ago

  • New York Post

New Mets reliever Justin Garza used video games to revive his stalled career

Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free When the COVID-19 pandemic put the world on hold in 2020, Justin Garza began to consider quitting baseball. The right-handed pitcher had been stuck in Single-A for three seasons, struggling to stay healthy, with his confidence dwindling. But as he took time for himself away from the field, an unlikely hobby helped the reliever get his career back on track: video games. ' 'MLB The Show' actually was a big part about me learning how to pitch and figuring out how to pitch,' said Garza, whom the Mets acquired from the Giants Saturday. 'It's so realistic at times, just playing that video game.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store